Liz Thompson

Though the US may not regulate the cosmetics industry as rigorously as Europe, things are moving in the right direction. On November 5th the USDA National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) voted 12 to 1 in favor of heavier scrutiny by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) when it comes to organic labeling by personal care product manufacturers, holding them to the same guidelines as food producers. The USDA holds strict standards for organic food products but up to this point cosmetics and personal care products have been very loosely regulated in the US. The new recommendation will require cosmetic manufacturers who use the term “organic†on their labels to either meet certain requirements, reformulate products that do not meet these requirements or cease use of the organic labeling. This issue has been at the top of the list for the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) for some time now with their Coming Clean Campaign. The OCA has started a Boycott/Buycott which lists brands who claim to be, but are not truly, organic. The Buycott promotes those brands who are actually certified organic. Prior to intitiating the boycott, the OCA gave manufacturers a chance to step up to the plate and do the right thing by pledging to either meet organic standards or cease false organic labeling. Following are the companies who refused and are now being boycotted: Amazon Organics, Avalon Organics, Desert Essence Organics, Earth's Best Organic, Giovanni Organic Cosmetics, Head Organics, JASON Pure Natural and Organic, Nature's Gate Organics, Organics by Noah's Naturals To view a list of companies with products that meet the USDA Organic Standard visit the follow this link. Image credit: oceandesetoiles at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license.

The perfect cosmetic product is conveniently packaged, versatile, comes in a variety of gorgeous colors and, of course, is good for you and your skin. Well, Revolution Organics has created such a creature with their Freedom Collection. Beauty Balms ($33.95) are creamy colors that come in a a sleek twist-up tube (easily tote-able) and are made with good-for-skin ingredients, like olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil and aloe vera. All are 100% natural and made with 85% certified organic ingredients and mineral-based pigments and packaged in recyclable material. Now on to the fun part – you can use these luscious tints on cheeks, eyelids and lips. A truly multi-talented gem. Come in three hot colors: Blushed – a rosy pink that will be perfect for fall, Sunkissed – a favorite of the moment that provides a peachy glow and Bronzed – for a golden-y glow, use this one to add a subtle smokiness to eyes. Revolution Organics doesn’t stop there. Add a Freedom Gloss ($25.95) to your makeup bag for stay put color that keeps lips soft and shiny. Try Integrity, the perfect nude with just enough pink to go with everything, any time of day. Come in four other stunning colors. Image credit: Saffron Rouge

Switching to nontoxic skin care, body care, even makeup is easy enough. With plenty of truly exceptional all natural product lines on the market today, you can swap out your moisturizer, body wash and mascara with no trouble at all. But, when it comes to hair care, it can get a little more difficult. In the past, few natural hair care lines lived up to the performance of their conventional, toxin-laden counterparts. These au naturel shampoos and conditioners left hair waxy, stringy and feeling a little bit like straw. Something their chemical cousins combat with harsh synthetic detertgents (like, sodium laurel sulfate), propylene glycol and silicones. What is a girl (or boy) who wants silky hair without the chems to do? Rare El'ements Salon Inspired Eco-Luxury Hair Care has totally taken care of this problem. Not only does this indulgent hair care system leave hair strong, silky and smooth, but also helps to protect color. Amazing! The line consists of Pure Shampoo, Essential Conditioner and EL’ Treatment, a rejuvenating scalp and hair serum. All products are made with pure, healthy ingredients and contain exotic oils from Africa to nourish and moisturize scalp and hair. No sulfates, silicones, synthetic fragrance or parabens. Now, let’s get to the nitty-gritty….my personal review. I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten excited over a new all natural hair care line that boasts full, soft, shiny locks only to be (yet again) disappointed. That is not to say that there aren’t a few brands out there really living up to their claims. John Masters Organics hair care, for example, is a very affordable line that works really well. But my hair is fickle and moody (a combination of fine, dry and wavy/frizzy) that needs gentle care in order to behave itself. When I first learned about Rare El'ements from my friend Terri at The Nature of Beauty, I got all pumped again but reeled myself back in, expecting yet another disappointment. Well, I could tell immediately that this was no ordinary natural shampoo and conditioner. My hair was soft, smooth, wavy but not frizzy and really looked great. And (the true test) continued to be so after several days of using Rare El'ements. No honeymoon phase. The bottom line is this; yes, Rare El'ements is on the higher end – $34 for the Shampoo, $44 for the Conditioner and the Serum is $44 as well – but is very concentrated and will last you quite a while. And for the results, quite worth every cent. Honestly, I plan to never be without the stuff.

Photo credit: schoschie You know there are certain ingredients that you don’t want in your cosmetic products. But you may not know all of the name variations or even exactly why certain ingredients are harmful. Well, leave it to Stephanie Greenwood at Bubble & Bee Organic to come up with an easy, convenient and (even) fun way to keep you in the know on toxic ingredient education. With “Today’s Chemical†(Stephanie’s new chemical ingredient education service) you can ask a question about toxic ingredients in cosmetics, learn about chemicals and get recipes for homemade beauty products. To get this free service you can either sign-up and have it delivered right to your inbox or subscribe to the RSS feed. Check out Today’s Chemical now and get yourself informed.

Photo credit: Unhindered by Talent Okay, so the economy is bad. And, yes, we have all had to make changes and/or sacrifices in the name of saving a buck. But can this whole mess be put to good use? Yes it can! While you are already watching your spending closely, try keeping an eye on what you buy and not just how much it costs. We can blame the big corporations for getting us into this economic mess and much of it may be deserved, but we the people are out there buying stuff up, so let’s make it count. We are still a capitalist country and true to this is supply and demand. We buy it, they keep making it. If we buy cheaply made, toxic-laden products, that is what the big companies will make. If we purchase nontoxic, safe products made with pure ingredients, the makers of these products will keep making them. Not only that, but the producers of organic, wild-crafted and natural ingredients will have to make more of them which is not only good for us but for the planet as a whole. Our disposable way of living is a big part of what has gotten us into trouble, so not all of this can be blamed on the big corporations. They are simply providing what we have asked for. As Joshua Onysko of Pangea Organics put it: The great thing about this mess we are in is that it started with us; therefore, it can end with us. "How?" you ask. Well now is the time to raise our consumeristic conscientiousness. I'm sure many of you reading this are already on the path, but there's no time for walking it: start jogging. Tell the corporations what you want and how you want it. Trust me; they will start doing it right. Joshua has it right. Now is the time to make every cent count.

Want a super cool summer treat for your lips? eos lip balms are the way to go. These cute and colorfully packaged balms come in traditional sticks and the highly innovative spheres, a variety of flavors and all are USDA Certified Organic and all natural. Made with vitamin E, shea butter and jojoba oil to keep lips super soft and smooth, the balms are free from harmful ingredients, like petrolatum and parabens. Lip balm smooth spheres come in honeysuckle honeydew, summer fruit and sweet mint flavors. Lip balm smooth sticks offer vanilla bean, pomegranate raspberry and sweet mint flavors. A pleasure to use and the cool, modern design makes them kid-friendly too. Image credit: eosTM

It is definitely time to get the sunscreen out, but with so many chemical and not-so-natural versions on the market it can be very difficult to choose one that is safe. In the past natural sunscreen product manufacturers used zinc oxide to provide UV protection. And though it is safe and effective, it leaves behind that ghostly white skin we all wish to avoid. So the next scientific breakthrough was the use of nanotechnology, the creation of incredibly small particles — measured in nanometers (nm), or one-billionth of a meter. This took care of the white film, but recent evidence shows that these nanoparticles may pose risks to the environment. Not a great trade-off. Not to despair, there are some terrific sunscreen products on the market that are safe, effective, free from nanos and leave your skin, well – skin colored. Vivesana is a new product line that presents major breakthroughs in organic sun care. The products are free from harmful synthetic ingredients, nanoparticles and even water, providing a stronger sun product. Vivesana (which means “live healthy†in Italian) products are at least 40 SPF, hypoallergenic, packaged in BPA-free containers and boast the highest organic content of any sun care products on the market. Those at Vivesana take your health and sun protection very seriously. The line includes three sun care products: Solar to Polar Ultra – Chock full of hydrating botanicals (jojoba and apricot) and powerful antioxidants (green tea and raspberry seed) this sunscreen provides 40 SPF and really stays put. $29 Solar to Polar Baby – SPF 42 to protect the most delicate skin Solar to Polar Baby is gentle and safe enough for little ones, but provides the strongest protection. $32 Dopo Elements – Dopo (meaning “afterâ€) is for, you guessed it, after your day in the sun, water and dry air. Jojoba, olive and avocado oils help to re-hydrate and nourish parched skin, while green tea extract gives it a healthy boost of antioxidants. Coming soon. Want to try Vivesana sun care products? Use code orgbeauty&vive25 at www.vivesana.com and receive a 25% discount. Image credit: Vivesana

Aromatherapy is one truly beneficial indulgence most of us don’t make time for. Afterall, you do have to know what you are doing, like which essential oils work for what ailment, how to mix and use them and which to stay away from. Essentials oils are very potent and it is not wise to throw caution to the wind when using them, as some are skin irritants and over doing it can be toxic. That said, the right ones can go a long way toward good physical and mental health. Nuworld Botanicals has come to our aromatherapy rescue with Aromatherapy Personals, little rollerball vials that combine aromatherapy and acupressure, along with health benefits of antioxidants, vitamins and 100% certified organic essential oils. Nuworld Botanicals uses a base of 100% certified organic Jojoba oil to dilute the essential oils for safe use. The perfectly stash-able roll-ons can be tossed in your purse, gym bag or desk drawer and with 11 scent combinations to choose from, can come to your aid for everything from anxiety relief and craving control to a sweet dreamy night’s sleep. Simply massage the rollerball onto pulse points, like wrists, temples, insides of elbows and back of neck. Energy Boost with its minty, eucalyptus scent is refreshing and perfect for your morning wakeup call or mid-afternoon slump. Immune Boost smells fresh and clean and is packed with Tea Tree oil which is a powerful immune stimulant. Perfect for the late spring cold season. With all of the social happenings and end-of-school events that May brings, it can be stressful and hard to focus. Mental Clarity is an earthy blast of basil, lemon and grapefruit to help with mental concentration. Stress Relief helps to ease tension and boost your mood with citrus, bergamot and just a hint of patchouli. Jet Lag Relief, with nutmeg, ginger, peppermint and clove, smells good enough to use even when you are feeling fine and nothing beats the pure scent of lavender in Anxiety Relief. Choose the appropriate Aromatherapy Personals roll-on for what ails you, or simply pick you favorite scent combination. The aroma is long lasting and nontoxic. All eleven scents are mild and wearable, even for those with scent-issues, and the convenient size and borderline addictive nature of the little bottles make Aromatherapy Personals an easy and rewarding way to incorporate aromatherapy into your daily living. Image credit: Nuworld Botanicals

With the social season picking up again, you are probably looking to add something cute to your wardrobe. A pretty dress in a fresh color adds splash and is a great go-to piece. Lara Miller has some of the cutest for the season. Lara Miller, Chicago eco-designer, designs clothing for women that is not only sweet and lovely, but ultra wearable…the perfect combo. Her tops, dresses and skirts for spring are made from an organic bamboo and cotton blend for maximum comfort and, better still, are machine washable. Each piece, angular in construction, seems to meld to the body in flowy femininity. NIMLI offers several items from the Lara Miller Spring Collection like the clean and simple Frances Dress and the spectacular Tiered Ronnie Dress (shown at right). Choose a modern neutral (iron) or juicy color (raspberry). Image credit: NIMLI

Photo credit: Margaret Anne Clarke It seems everyone these days is coming out with their own “natural†or “organic†beauty line. But are they truly what they claim to be? After all, when a well known company says their stuff is good for you most folks believe them. Take Victoria’s Secret, for instance, who recently came out with Pink, their new body care line touted as "organic, natural and vegan". Since no ingredients were listed anywhere, I set out to do a little investigating. After a lot of searching and being redirected (and a visit to my local Vicky’s) I still had no ingredient lists. Stancie Wilson of Fig + Sage got to the bottom of the whole Pink question mark, you can read what she found out (suspicions confirmed) on Feelgood Style. Greenwashing is a problem in the organic beauty world today and is gaining speed. Following are several blogs where you will find information you can trust on products that are safe for you and your family. Fig+Sage The Nature of Beauty Blog The Green Beauty Guide Caren’s Blog Organic Beauty Source Blog

Photo credit: foundphotoslj Fresh air and sunshine (and the vitamin D it provides) are good for you. But too much sun exposure can have adverse effects on the health of your skin. Premature aging, dryness, sun spots and even skin cancer can result. But this time of year we are all itching for a bit of summer glow. The chic and safe way to sun these days isn’t the natural way. In this case, fake is better. So, rather than laying in the sun or going to the tanning bed to get your bronze on, check out the safe, nontoxic tanning creams on the market. These are not the toxin-laden tanning lotions of our youth that left our bodies (and palms) orange and streaky. The new crop of nontoxic tanning creams leave you with a natural glow, none of the streakiness, and can be used in place of your regular moisturizer. Top Nontoxic Tanning Lotions for Your Summer Glow Lavera Sunless Tan – Self Tanning Lotion – A moisturizing lotion with a fresh, pleasant scent that provides a natural looking tan in just a couple of hours. Super easy to use and the results never disappoint. $26.00 Sante Self-Tanning Lotion – Use this organic tanner to build a gradual tan, once for a lighter tan or several days in a row for a darker bronze. $18.99 Lavera FACES Summer Glow – Face Self-Tanner – For light hydration you can use in place of your warm weather moisturizer. Gives a very natural glow to face, absolutely no streakiness and the tan lasts a few days. Use every other day for consistent color.  $17.85 Dr. Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate – To even out skin tone and give skin a subtle glow mix with your usual moisturizer. Suitable for all skin types and complexions. $40.00 These nontoxic self-tanners use Dihydroxyaceton, or DHA (found in sugar beets or sugarcane) or minerals to provide natural looking color and are packed with vitamins and flower extracts to soothe and protect the skin. A much healthier way to get your summer glow.

[caption id="attachment_1315" align="alignright" width="178" caption="Further Soap"][/caption] Reuse is a keyword in helping to protect the environment. Reuse your bags, clothing, electronics and the list goes on. But what about reusing the waste oil from restaurants? You have probably heard of biofuel and those who use it to run their automobiles, but what happens to the waste from the biofuel? That is where Marshall and Megan Dostal’s creative thinking comes in. Marshall has been collecting leftover grease from fine restaurants in L.A. for years and turning it into biofuel (in his own garage) for his car. That is pretty creative on its own. But, with the help of his wife, Megan, the Dostals managed to take “reuse†one step further. Glycerin is a byproduct of the biofuel distillation process and with all of that biofuel creation, Marshall had a lot of it. Glycerin is also used to make soap, which is exactly where the idea for Further Soap came in. Mixed with aloe and other natural ingredients, the glycerin became a luxurious hand soap, scented with their signature fragrance of bergamot and olive essential oils and exotic grasses. Well, of course they couldn’t stop there. The Dostals then return their soap to the very restaurants where they originally get the waste oil to create the biofuel. And the cycle continues. Image credit: Further Soap

Photo credit: the half-blood prince Sunscreen has been touted over the past few decades as an essential component in keeping our skin healthy and cancer-free. It is, of course, widely known now that prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays could be a common cause of skin cancer. Not to mention the other benefits of sunscreen, like its role in preventing the signs of premature aging. But scientists are now looking at sunscreen, rather some of its ingredients, as a potential threat to the environment. Zinc oxide is a common and popular ingredient used in sunscreens to absorb or deflect damaging ultra violet (UV) rays. The complaint by users in the past has been the ghostly white appearance it leaves behind. The solution; make zinc oxide clear by shrinking it into tiny particles between one and 100 nanometers (a nanometer is roughly half the size of a strand of DNA). No more chalky white skin, but at what price?  Scientific America reported Tuesday that the use of these nanoparticles may pose risks to the environment by damaging beneficial microbes A study by University of Toledo researchers discovered that nano-titanium dioxide used in personal care products reduced biological roles of bacteria after less than an hour of exposure. The findings suggest that these particles, which end up at municipal sewage treatment plants after being washed off in showers, could eliminate microbes that play vital roles in ecosystems and help treat wastewater. These tiny microbes have big jobs; remove ammonia from wastewater, clean up toxic waste and reduce phosphorus in lakes. The European Union has also been researching nanoparticles and the role they play in the disruption of the environment. On Wednesday a majority of the the EU Parliament voted for new EU-wide rules regarding nanocosmetics that will take effect in 2012. Clear labeling on products that contain nanoparticles is part of the new regulation, as well as special safety testing before a product’s release. Nanotechnology has been noted as potentially beneficial in creating drugs that could cure cancer and radiation poisoning, exciting possibilities to be sure. At this point, rather than discourage the use of nanoparticles all together, scientists see more research that needs to be done to recognize their true potential.

Though we were sad to see Plenty Magazine (and website, too) come to an end, there is good news. The Mother Nature Network (MNN) is stepping up to the plate, glad to welcome all PlentyMag.com viewers to their site. Plenty’s existing content is being merged with MNN’s information and visitors to the Plenty site will be redirected to MNN.com. Plenty reached all of their subscribers last week, notifying them to stay tuned to MNN for up to date coverage in the world of green. MNN, a new environmental site founded by Rolling Stones keyboardist (and tree farmer) Chuck Leavell, offers up big servings of green info on everything from climate matters to beauty & fashion and the latest happenings in Ecollywood. Along with updated blog posts, MNN includes a forum, where you can share your tips and stories, a newsletter and MNNTV, which offers video advice on all aspects of green living. So, though Plenty Mag is dearly departed, its spirit lives on in MNN. Image credit: The Mother Nature Network

Photo credit: yoppy People seem to be jumping off the soy boat as quickly as they jumped on as more research is revealed on this once thought super food. We all know of soy’s good attributes; contains significant amounts of essential amino acids, omega-6 fatty acids, may have a protective effect on the brain and cardiovascular system and is a good source of protein. The flip side of this coin is that soy is also rich in isoflavones, called genistein and daidzein, which are potent phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens, sometimes called "dietary estrogens", are naturally occurring non steroidal plant compounds which can have estrogenic effects on the body. Because of this, women with breast cancer or a history of the disease should be aware of the risks associated with the use of soy. Another good reason to take another look at soy is its potentially harmful effects to our gastrointestinal system. Soy is hard to digest which can cause gas, bloating and other gastro-related issues. Soybean oil is widely used as an emollient and emulsifier in cosmetics, to make the product moisturizing and keep ingredients from separating. Soy also contains natural antioxidants, beneficial in ridding the body of free radicals. While soy can be beneficial, until further research is done, it would be wise to use products containing soy sparingly. For dietary use, stick to soy that is in its less processed form, like miso, tempeh or tofu. And make note, it is very important to be sure that the soy you are using, whether by diet or skin care, is organic, GMO-free and minimally processed.